It seems like nothing is getting done

Assorted thoughts on county and state government:
It seems like nothing is getting done in Harrisburg, as Gov. Tom Wolf and lawmakers bicker over the state budget, but that’s not entirely true.

In fact, the governor’s office last week sent out a news release noting that Mr. Wolf had signed nine bills into law.
Most of them were uncontroversial, housekeeping-type bills. But here’s one that will prove crucial to retirees from York County government:
“Act 63 - House Bill 239 sponsored by Rep. Greiner amends the County Pension Law further providing for definitions and for supplemental benefits.”
Basically, the bill will allow counties such as York to approve cost-of-living increases to pensioners without breaking the budget.
For several years, county officials have been denying pension COLAs because, under state law, increases had to be retroactive to the last increase. In York County, that was 2008. So granting an increase for next year would have cost the county more than $11 million.
With a 7.8 percent county property tax increase looming for next year, that would have been a bad idea. So, the pension board recently denied an increase.
Getting rid of the nutty retroactivity rule will make it easier for counties to provide increases that won’t bust budgets.
So, cheers to Reps. Seth Grove, R-Dover Township, and Kristin Phillips-Hill, R-York Township, for co-sponsoring, and Gov. Wolf for signing, this bill.
Of course, that doesn’t mean county pension COLAs should be automatic or no-brainers. Increases still hit the county’s bottom line. We’ve seen how pension costs are crippling many Pennsylvania governments.
So, the county retirement board must be prudent in granting hikes – especially in light of recent news that Social Security is not granting a COLA for next year. Many citizens who subsist on savings and small Social Security benefits are understandably resentful when government retirees receive lavish pensions.
That is not the case with many York County retirees, but officials must balance these competing political and financial interests.
But bottom line: It was not fair that York County retirees had not seen COLAs since 2008, and serious consideration must be given to granting one in the near future.

No withholdings
It’s easy to understand the temptation of county officials to stick it to the state for the long-delayed budget.
After all, counties are dutifully collecting and sending some revenue to the state as required by law, but the state is not sending money back to fund crucial county-run services.
So, why not just stop sending the money to the state until the governor and lawmakers get their acts together? Why not hang onto it or use it to pay for county services?
Because, as York County Commissioner Steve Chronister says, it’s not that much money, and it might end up backfiring and costing the county more in the long run.
Good point.
But some counties are considering withholding revenue and possibly even suing the state.
Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that and some reasonable compromise will be reached this week – as we’ve heard might be possible.